Home Movies
by Strawberrykin
Summary: Twenty-three year old Emma Geller-Green is moving into her first apartment and finds a box full of old home movies. Watch with Emma as she relives the past of her family.
1. 2006: Wedding

Emma Geller-Green looked around her new apartment helplessly. The floor was a jumble of half-unpacked boxes, the furniture barely visible. She closed her eyes briefly and wished that her Aunt Monica would suddenly appear, organizational chart in hand. Mentally cursing herself for turning down Monica's offer of help in moving, Emma began to clear a space on the couch.

She smiled fondly as she regarded the now-visible floral pattern of the new couch. Her parents had purchased the new living room suite for her, and it was undoubtedly in her mother's taste--sophisticated yet feminine. She cringed remembering the green pleather set that her dad had preferred. But the giant dinosaur throw pillow…that was definitely her dad.

She was surrounded by boxes of every shape and size. It was hard to believe that twenty-three years of life had produced this much stuff. Sighing tiredly, she began unpacking the box nearest to her. She pulled out a few old teddy bears, followed by a big stuffed penguin. "Hugsy!" she squealed, hugging the toy quickly. Placing him carefully next to her, she began unpacking the next box.

Emma stared at the contents, puzzled. Apparently she had gotten a box that wasn't hers. This box was crammed full of DVDs. She pulled one out and idly read the label.

In her dad's neat, precise penmanship, it was labeled "Home Movies, 2006: Wedding." Emma grinned and mentally thanked her Uncle Joey for the DVD player that he had given her as a housewarming gift. She popped the disc into the machine and settled back onto the couch.

Chandler Bing's face, much younger, filled the screen. "This is Chandler Bing, documenting the most-awaited wedding of…ever," he said. "Could Ross and Rachel be any slower in realizing that they were meant for each other?"

"What are you doing, man?" asked Joey Tribbiani's disembodied voice.

"I'm taping the wedding," replied Chandler's voice defensively.

"You aren't the wedding, buddy," said Joey. "Get a shot of me congratulating Ross and Rachel."

The camera swung around to reveal Joey, wearing a stunning tuxedo and a come-hither smile. He winked. "How you doin'?" he drawled.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," said a female voice in an annoyed tone. "It's a camera, Joey, not a hot girl." Joey's sister Gina stepped into the frame, giving Joey a withering glare.

Joey shrugged. "Fine. Now get outta my shot!" He smiled charmingly again. "This is Joseph Tribbiani, star of the hit television show, _Deep Powder_. I want to congratulate my friends Ross and Rachel on their wedding today. I will be performing the ceremony. Which is kind of weird, when you think about it, since Rachel was the first woman I ever loved…"

"JOEY!" shrieked a chorus of voices, mostly female.

Emma nearly fell off the couch. Uncle Joey had been in love with her mom? This was juicy stuff! She paused the DVD and ran into the kitchen to search for microwave popcorn. This kind of drama definitely warranted a snack.

Twenty minutes later, armed with a bag of popcorn and a Dr. Pepper, Emma settled back onto the couch and hit the Play button.

Joey pulled a pretty blonde woman into the screen. It was his now-wife, Aunt Alex. "And this is my girlfriend, Alex."

Alex smiled and waved bashfully. "Congratulations, Ross and Rachel," she said. "Michael, get over here!" She exited the screen quickly and was replaced by Joey's nephew, Michael, who was now a molecular biologist.

"On this auspicious occasion," he began, looking serious, then Joey unceremoniously shoved him away.

"Speak English!" Joey scolded him.

"Would you big camera hams stop fooling around?" The camera swung around again, this time revealing Aunt Phoebe, who was very visibly pregnant, and her husband, Mike Hannigan. "The wedding starts in twenty minutes!"

Then she seemed to realize that she was being filmed and smiled widely. "Congratulations, you guys. I love you! And I hope that baby Phoebo doesn't decide to make his entrance during your wedding."

Emma laughed. The baby that Aunt Phoebe was carrying had actually turned out to be Christopher Joseph Hannigan, not Phoebo. Luckily for him.

"Phoebe, you're not due for another month," Mike reminded her gently.

Another male voice interrupted. "Phoebe, you need to sit down. Dr. Cooper told you to stay off your feet as much as possible."

It was Ross. He looked young and handsome in his tuxedo. Behind him was eleven-year Ben, Emma's half-brother. "Guys…we need to be at the front of the church now! We're already off-schedule, thanks to that Krispy Kreme stop that Joey had to make on our way here…"

"Calm down, dude," said Joey. "We're ready."

The camera was abruptly switched off and Emma groaned. Then the screen flickered back on and was filled with an image of Rachel, gorgeous in her flowing white wedding gown, preening in front of a full-length mirror.

Emma herself was preening beside her, five years old and resplendent in a fluffy pink dress. A teary voice began to speak…Aunt Monica's.

"Here we are, and it's ten minutes until the wedding," she said. "This is my best friend and soon-to-be sister, Rachel Green, and my niece, Emma."

Five-year old Emma, hearing her name, turned and waved at the camera. Then the camera zoomed in on Rachel.

Emma was struck at how breathtakingly beautiful her mother looked. "Rachel has always been like a sister to me, and now it'll be official," said Monica.

At that, Rachel began to look teary. "If you make me ruin my mascara, I'm going to have to hurt you," she said. She swallowed, hard. "Let me get a shot of you with the twins," she suggested, and the screen wobbled as the camera changed hands again.

Monica Geller-Bing smiled tearily for the camera. "Congratulations, Ross and Rachel," she said. Before she could say anything else, two tiny voices piped up.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Monica smiled and picked up both twins. Emma smiled when she saw the three-year old versions of her cousins. Jack was adorable in a tiny tuxedo, while Erica's pink dress matched her own.

"Say congratulations to Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel," Monica whispered loudly.

"Congwadulations,," they chorused. Monica beamed.

A loud rapping noise interrupted whatever Monica was getting ready to say. "It's time, pumpkin," said the voice, and the door opened to reveal Emma's late Grandpa Green, followed closely by Grandma Green, who was already dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

Then the screen abruptly went black again.

The first strains of the wedding march sounded as the screen flickered back on again. "This is Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan, your wedding correspondent," said Aunt Phoebe's voice in a whisper. "Since being pregnant, which is obviously Mike's fault, has kept me from being in this wedding, I will be recording it for posterity."

A wild shot of the church made Emma dizzy, then the picture leveled out. Standing at the front of the church were Joey, Ross, and Ben. The camera swung again to reveal the procession coming up the aisle…Monica and Chandler, Erica and Jack, and finally Emma, who was happily flinging rose petals everywhere. Then the music swelled joyously and Rachel herself, escorted by Grandpa Green, began the long walk up the aisle.

After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the front of the church.

Joey cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered today to witness the long-awaited union of Ross Geller and Rachel Green. Who gives this woman to be married?"

Grandpa Green stepped forward. "Her mother and I do," he said, and placed Rachel's hand in Ross'. He gave Ross a severe look. "I'll be watching you, Geller," he said. Then he stepped back and blended into the crowd.

Ross and Rachel faced each other, their eyes locked, and Emma could tell that in that moment, nothing in the world had existed for them except each other. She had always known that her parents were in love, but she had never seen it so clearly before.

Joey smiled at the crowd. "Today it is my great honor to join two of my best friends in holy matrimony. Ross and Rachel have known each other for most of their lives. I believe in my heart that they are soul mates, meant to spend the rest of their lives together. Today Ross and Rachel will exchange vows that they have written themselves. Ross?"

Ross cleared his throat and gripped Rachel's hands more tightly in his own. For a moment, he looked nervous. Then he smiled with pure joy. "Rachel," he began, "you are the love of my life. I can't remember a time when I haven't loved you. You're my best friend, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

Tears were streaming freely down Rachel's face, and Ross tenderly wiped them away. "Ross, I love you more than I can ever say," she began. "My whole life has been leading up to this moment. I can't wait to begin our life together."

They exchanged rings. Joey beamed at them. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Ross took Rachel in his arms, and what would have been a long, drawn-out, storybook-ending kiss was quickly interrupted by a loud scream.

"OUCH!" screamed Phoebe. "I forgot that labor pains hurt this much!" The screen went black again, and this time no picture flickered back on.

"That's right…Chris was born on mom and dad's wedding day," Emma said aloud. She looked longingly towards the box, still filled with unwatched home movies, then remembered the millions of other boxes still waiting to be unpacked. "Tomorrow night," she said, clicking off the television.


	2. 2012: Ben's Graduation

It wasn't the next night, or even the night after that, when Emma had time to delve into the box of home movies again. Between starting her new job and getting everything set up in her apartment, she had actually forgotten the existence of the box...or at least tucked it away in the back of her mind for future reference.

This particular Friday evening marked the end of her first week at her new job. Emma, much to her Uncle Chandler's delight, was a junior copywriter for one of the best advertising firms in Chicago. It was well after 10:00 when Emma finally let herself back into her apartment. She had gone out to dinner with Lucy, a fellow junior copywriter, after work. Lucy had insisted on treating New York-born Emma to some Chicago-style pizza.

Emma began kicking off her impossibly high and uncomfortable (but very fashionable) heels as soon as she made it into the living room. The light on the answering machine was blinking, and she settled into an armchair before hitting the PLAY button.

Her mom's voice filled the room. "Hi, sweetheart," she said. "I was hoping to catch up with you in person, but I didn't want to call you at your new job during your first week. Your dad and I are taking a mini-vacation to Vermont. We'll be back on Tuesday. You can call us on either cell if you need us. We love you. Talk to you soon."

Emma felt an unexpected tear slide down her cheek as a wave of homesickness washed over her. For a few moments she thought longingly of her parents, her siblings, her aunts, uncles, and cousins, and all of her friends. They seemed so far away...until the edge of a brown cardboard box, sticking out from behind the couch, caught her eye. Grinning, Emma ran to her bedroom and changed into her coziest pajamas before closing her eyes and plucking a random DVD case from the box.

"Home Movies, 2012: Ben's High School Graduation" was printed on the label, this time in her mom's swirly, loopy handwriting. Emma fed the disc into the player and stretched out across the couch, contentedly drinking in the scene on the television screen.

Eighteen-year old Ben stood proudly in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom, surrounded by three moms and a dad, all four of whom were choking back tears at the sight of their son in his royal blue cap and gown. Ross Geller was carefully straightening Ben's cap as the three women—Carol Willick-Bunch, Susan Bunch, and Rachel Geller—all clutched each other in a group hug for support.

"Our baby is growing up," Carol said in a melancholy tone. Susan dabbed at her eyes with a wad of Kleenex, and Rachel sniffled loudly.

"Why are you guys _crying_?" asked a young voice, somewhere off-camera, in a tone of incredulity. It was Emma's own eleven-year old voice. Present-day Emma remembered with a start that she had been the cameraman that day, videotaping the entire event with the camcorder she had received for her eleventh birthday.

Ben turned and winked at the camera, and at Emma. "It's because they're women, Em. They can't help it. Promise me you won't turn into one any time soon."

"Hey!" Ross stopped fiddling with the cap and put his hands on his hips. "I'm not a woman! And I'm not crying!"

"Of course not, honey," soothed Rachel, offering Ross a tissue. Ross blew his nose loudly and looked embarrassed. "Emma, sweetheart," she said, "we're very proud of your brother. These aren't sad tears; they're happy tears."

"I don't get it," Emma said.

"You will someday," her mother replied.

Seven-year old Daisy Willick-Bunch and Emma's own younger sister and brother, six-year old Sarah and three-year old Zachary burst into the room, all dressed to the nines and chattering excitedly. The camera swung around to get a full-screen shot of the trio: pretty, petite Daisy, who had been adopted as an infant from China, in her lilac party dress; Sarah, with her dark hair and deep blue eyes, wearing a navy blue dress and matching Mary Janes; and Zach, blonde and blue-eyed, dressed in his tiny blue suit.

"Mommy!" cried Zach in his gravelly little voice. "Up!" Rachel scooped the little boy up in her arms, smoothing his hair back expertly with one well-manicured hand.

Ross glanced at his watch. "Where are the guys?" he asked no one in particular.

"Monica, Chandler, and the kids are driving in from Long Island after they pick Joey and Alex up from the airport," Rachel reminded him. "Mike, Phoebe, and Chris are meeting us at the school. All the grandparents are meeting us there, too."

"Dad, stop stressing," said Ben, always the voice of reason. "Graduation doesn't start for another hour and a half...we have plenty of time to get to school."

"Ross can't help but stress...he's Ross," interjected Susan teasingly. The camera angle abruptly swung around to reveal Susan, who was carefully adjusting the bows in Daisy's jet-black ponytails.

Carol sighed, catching the remark as she reentered the room. "Well, the cabs are downstairs. Is everyone ready?"

And the screen went black for a moment before it brightened to reveal a crowded high school gymnasium.

The people Emma loved best in the world were in that room...Grandma and Grandpa Geller, Gran and Grandfather Green, Uncle Joey and Aunt Alex, Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike, Chris, Aunt Monica and Uncle Chandler, Jack, and Erica.

"Hello, pumpkin," said Grandfather Green, and someone else took the camera as Emma's grandfather pulled her into a big bear hug. "You look more like your mother every day," he added fondly.

There was a flurry of excited greetings and hugs all around. Animated talk filled the air as everyone caught up on the latest news.

The strains of Pomp and Circumstance quieted the chatter surrounding Emma. Everyone strained to see Ben entering the room, his back straight and head held proudly as he marched in. After speeches from the principal, vice principal, and superintendent, Ben took the stage to give his salutatory speech.

"WOOHOO! BEN!" yelled Phoebe from the audience.

Ben grinned. "Thanks, Aunt Phoebe," he said and the audience laughed.

"I've heard some lame speeches at various graduations over the years," he began, and the audience laughed appreciatively again. "I'm afraid that this is just another to add to the list. I'll try to make it short.

I've been a student here for thirteen years. I've made some wonderful friends, and learned many important lessons. But the most important lesson I've learned is that I wouldn't be who I am today without the support of my family. I leave for college in August, but this lesson will go with me.

Once, when I was in second grade, it was my turn to bring a treat for Valentine's Day. I was staying with my dad and Rachel, my third mom, at the time. I forgot to tell anyone about it being my turn until about nine o'clock the night before. Rachel and I stayed up until after midnight baking cupcakes and decorating them with heart-shaped candy sprinkles. They may not have tasted that great—sorry, Mom—but they were the prettiest cupcakes ever seen in Mrs. Griffin's class.

In sixth grade, Mr. Simpson gave us an assignment to take a tour of New York City as if we were tourists, and write about it. My moms, Carol and Susan, spent the weekend taking me to every tourist spot in this city, taking pictures, and buying me crazy souvenirs. It was one of the best weekends I ever had.

During my freshman year, my Uncle Joey landed the lead role in a huge blockbuster film, _The Irishman_. Since it was being filmed on location in Ireland, my parents, aunts, and uncles decided to take me--and my siblings and cousins--to Ireland for two weeks. Though I wasn't in a classroom, I learned a lot during those two weeks, and got to spend time with my family in an awesome country.

I remember during my junior year, I had a huge year-end project due for Mr. Miffler's science class. I waited until the weekend before it was due to start.

After my dad stopped freaking out, he was the best study partner in the whole world. He helped me do research for two days straight, and I was able to hand in my project on time the following Monday. And he never complained about not getting to sleep for two days.

So to all the people who have helped me make it to this point—my teachers, friends, and most of all, my family, thank you." Ben left the stage to thunderous applause.

Several speeches later, the handing out of diplomas began. A closeup of Ben accepting his diploma filled the screen.

An hour of footage later, the family left the gym along with the throng of people exiting to watch the new graduates toss their caps into the air. As they surrounded Ben and he tossed his cap into the air, the picture blurred and jumped as they all enveloped Ben into a huge hug.

As the camera followed the path of Emma's grandparents to the parking lot and their cars, a loud ringing sounded. Everyone checked their phones, but it was Carol who pulled her phone from her bag. She spoke in a low voice for a few moments.

Carol ended the call and turned to face the group. "There's been an accident," she said, her voice trembling. "I need to head to the hospital...it's pretty bad, apparently."

And the screen darkened to blackness.

Suddenly remembering how that day had ended, Emma shuddered. Susan had been killed, rushing home to ready things for Ben's graduation party before the guests arrived. Her cab had been hit by a delivery truck, and she had died on impact. There had been no graduation party, just a group of friends and relatives gathered together to mourn the early end to a vibrant life.

Emma grabbed her cell phone. Moments later, a tinkling voice answered.

"Daisy? It's Emma."

Nineteen-year old Daisy Willick-Bunch giggled into the phone. "I know. Remember when I gave you your very own ring tone?"

Emma grinned. "Yeah. You're so weird, Daisy."

"I know. So, what are you up to?"

"I've just been watching some old home movies," Emma replied.

"Ooooh, am I in any of them? What am I wearing?"

Emma laughed and settled back against the couch, ready for a long conversation. She silently thanked the box of home movies for motivating her to call Daisy. She nudged the box of movies with her toes, silently promising herself to revisit the box soon.


End file.
